Video Games Help Surgeons
By Anne Pawsey
They are frequently maligned but it would appear that playing video games can be good for some people after all. A study of surgeons at Beth Israel medical centre in New York found that surgeons who played video games regularly performed better in surgery skills test than their non-gaming peers.
The gaming surgeons performed especially well in tests for laparoscopic surgery which involves manipulating instruments whilst being guided only by a video monitor. This supports previous research that playing games develops fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination.
The study didn’t say what kind of games the surgeons play, but I assume it’s not internet chess.
This would seem to be good news for American teenagers who play games for on average nine hours a week
There is one catch, the authors of the study warn that playing video games will not increase your chances of actually becoming a surgeon as it has a tendency to have a detrimental effect on school work and is not really a good replacement for studying.
Anne's other articles are just as good, only with fewer medics.
The gaming surgeons performed especially well in tests for laparoscopic surgery which involves manipulating instruments whilst being guided only by a video monitor. This supports previous research that playing games develops fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination.
The study didn’t say what kind of games the surgeons play, but I assume it’s not internet chess.
This would seem to be good news for American teenagers who play games for on average nine hours a week
There is one catch, the authors of the study warn that playing video games will not increase your chances of actually becoming a surgeon as it has a tendency to have a detrimental effect on school work and is not really a good replacement for studying.
Anne's other articles are just as good, only with fewer medics.
Image: Adam Ciesielski
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